Bringing You Up to Speed

In July of last year, the government relations department was established to fulfill the third pillar of SHPE’s strategic plan. In less than a year, our dedicated team has successfully cultivated new relationships with multiple agency STEM offices, influential members of the Biden-Harris Administration, and Congressional Members representing Hispanic heritage or significant Hispanic constituencies. Expanding our outreach efforts, we actively engaged with relevant Committee members and leadership in both the House of Representatives and the Senate to gain a comprehensive understanding of the decision-makers shaping STEM education and workforce development opportunities for the Hispanic community.   

Our efforts have contributed significant and valuable insights to advancing and prioritizing K-12 STEM education access, college readiness, private and public partnerships, and fostering a sense of belonging within the industry. Grounded in local, evidence-based research, our initiatives have provided relevant and indispensable data in shaping strategic decision-making for the Hispanic community. 

Events

• White House Initiative Latino Economic Summit
• “You Belong in STEM” National Coordinating Conference by the Department of Education
• “Mujeres Advancing Pay and Gender Equity” by the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence and Economic Opportunity for Hispanics
• “Equitable Implementation” for CHIPS and Science Act with CHIPS Office at the Department of Commerce
• Hispanic Members of 118^th Congress Swearing-in Ceremony
• Fireside Chat: Honoring International Day of Women & Girls in STEM hosted by SHPE
• White House Briefing in collaboration with OPE regarding “Building the Next Generation of Hispanic Leaders in STEM”
• Hispanic/Latino Community Partners Roundtable with Federal Bureau of Investigation & Department of Justice
• “Equity & Excellence in Tech” by the STEMM Opportunity Alliance

Accomplishments

• Ongoing advocacy for early STEM education exposure, pay and gender equity, college readiness, workforce improvement, and professional development at all levels. 
• House floor speech honoring Rod Garcia’s life by Congressman Tony Cardenas
• Creation of a Government Relations page on SHPE’s website with news, updates, toolkits, and additional resources.
• Successful coordination of the initial round of “Advocate con SHPE” virtual meetings with Congressional offices and SHPE members, addressing local and national STEM workforce priorities.
• Ongoing advocacy for early STEM education exposure, pay and gender equity, college readiness, workforce improvement, and professional development at all levels. 

What’s Next for SHPE?

While we have made significant strides by earning recognition from key decision makers and opening new avenues, there is still much work ahead of us. It is important that we maintain a consistent focus on highlighting the effectiveness of our programs, the exceptional talent within our membership, and the rich legacy we have built over nearly five decades. By increasing our presence in influential spaces, we can ensure that those with the power to drive legislative changes have our support throughout the process. 

Be assured that our commitment to collaborating with members of the legislative and executive branches remains a top priority, as we’ve shown for the past year with our proactive outreach efforts and successful projects.

Stay Tuned!

In the near future, there will be ample opportunities to actively “Advocate con SHPE” either through virtual meetings or by participating in in-person events with Members of Congress during the August recess. As you host local events to which you’d like to engage with congressional representatives or join virtual advocacy meetings, we encourage you to reach out as soon as possible to Senior Associate of Government Relations, Mariana Acuña Delgado at [email protected]. 

Don’t miss out on the chance to make your voice heard and contribute to our advocacy efforts! 

The Office of Public Engagement Welcomed SHPE Members and Staff for an Exclusive Event at the White House on April 18

On April 18, 2023, fifty SHPE members joined a handful of SHPE staff at a briefing on “Building the Next Generation of Hispanic Leaders in STEM” held by the Office of Public Engagement at the White House in Washington, DC and organized by SHPE’s Government Relations department.

The purpose of the briefing was to bring together Administration officials and SHPE representatives for a meaningful discussion of how academia, the private sector, and government can meet labor needs, reduce barriers, and increase representation, while constructing a sustainable education and domestic workforce pipeline of Hispanic students and professionals in STEM.

During the opening remarks, Dr. Amy Loyd, Assistant Secretary for the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) at the Department of Education, spoke to the group about current and new higher education opportunities at OCTAE and how she believes that celebrating multilingualism and promoting holistic approaches should be at the forefront of raising the bar on STEM education.Asma Mirza, SAP and Deputy for Infrastructure Implementation Management at the White House, shared that her focus is on implementing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which made historic investments to improve affordable high-speed internet, clean water infrastructure, updating power grids, tackling pollution, public safety, climate resilient public transit. Not only does this law improve the daily lives of many families and individuals, but also creates STEM jobs everywhere in the country.

After thanking the Office of Public Engagement, President Biden, and the SHPE members who made the trip to DC, SHPE CEO Miguel Alemañy said, “There’s no better time than now to put a spotlight on our members. They are part of the 8% that makes up for all Hispanics in the STEM workforce nationwide. A recent report estimated that by 2031, the STEM employment projection will outpace non-STEM sectors by nearly 11%. SHPE is eager to meet that projection by preparing, coaching, and empowering our members through our proven and renowned programs.  We are committed to opening more doors and holding them open so that many more generations of Hispanics in STEM can break as many glass ceilings as possible.”

Following the opening remarks, the group split into three sessions covering early STEM education, Latinas in STEM, and workforce development –

In the first session about early STEM education, the group agreed that early exposure to STEM allows future generations to see themselves doing it, and waiting until high school to engage students is too late. It’s critical to engage students at an early age with interactive experiences, as well as equipping parents and caregivers to effectively support their pre-college children. Another important component is to be sure young people are exposed to successful leaders in STEM who look like them; that they have role models to emulate. Kevin Lima, Special Assistant for the Office of Communications and Outreach at the Department of Education said, “The Department of Education is committed to the help implement and scale equitable, high quality STEM education for all students from PreK to higher education to ensure their 21st century career readiness and global competitiveness. Early exposure to STEM careers is vital in inspiring young Latinos and Latinas to join the STEM field.”

In the second session about Latinas in STEM, the group agreed that visibility and representation are critical. The impact of having at least one Latina in every level of the workforce, we can create bonds, networks, and coaching environments that pave the way for more Latinas to enter STEM fields. But changing the ecosystem women are in means educating others about being allies – recognizing the talent Latinas have, acknowledging their worth, coaching them, and empowering them to advocate for themselves. For example, Latinas currently earn 54 cents per dollar. To be able to advocate for themselves effectively, there needs to be wage transparency at all levels, so Latinas know their worth and can push to have their wages reflect that value to the organization. Additionally, re-entry programs are critical, especially after having a child or caring for an elderly parent. The government, industry and academia must have systems in place to support these Latinas reentering the workplace.

In the third session about workforce development, the group discussed how better access to information is critical to how colleges and universities promote STEM resource opportunities that the government has dedicated to increase equity for young and seasoned Hispanic professionals. Additionally, NASA, OSTP, and the National Science Foundation (NSF) need continued conversations with organizations like SHPE to identify barriers and find equitable solutions impacting the Hispanic community, while promoting Hispanic role models in STEM. Dr. Michela Muñoz Fernández, Mars Sample Return Program Executive at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said, “NASA supports Hispanic employees in terms of education and training opportunities to help them in their careers by leveraging Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to socialize and provide access to information on opportunities. We are determined to continue bridging the gap between access and information and specifically meet the employees’ needs to ensure they benefit from an enriching experience at NASA.” Finally, active collaboration with academia and the private sectors will be catalysts for creative solutions to close the gap between talent and non-traditional pathways in education and the workforce.  Dr. Nafeesa Owens, Assistant Director for STEM Education and Workforce, Senior Policy Advisor at White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) concurred, “Progress happens when we’re all collaborating. OSTP is ready to act, engage, listen, and identify agreeable goals.”

In conclusion, Sol Ortega, Senior Advisor for the Office of Public Engagement at the White House, spoke about the importance of close partnerships with SHPE to increase access, awareness, and workforce development opportunities for Hispanics in STEM, particularly for younger generations that benefit from feeling represented and empowered to be successful in the industry. She and the Administration encourage SHPE members to bring their STEM expertise and unique voice to Washington, DC by pursuing internships and roles at the White House.

The Office of Public Engagement Welcomes SHPE Members and Staff for an Exclusive Event at the White House on April 18

(City of Industry, CA) — On April 18, fifty SHPE members will join a handful of SHPE staff at a briefing on “Building the Next Generation of Hispanic Leaders in STEM” held by the Office of Public Engagement at the White House in Washington, DC and organized by SHPE’s Government Relations department.

The purpose of the briefing is to bring together Administration officials and SHPE representatives for a meaningful discussion of howacademia, the private sector, and government can meet labor needs, lower barriers, and increase representation, while constructing a sustainable education and domestic workforce pipeline of Hispanic students and professionals in STEM.

“In line with our new strategic plan, this prestigious event is a significant step towards achieving our goal of ‘being a key voice in Washington, D.C. with deep reach and a reputation as the leading organization for Hispanics in STEM’,” says interim CEO Miguel Alemañy. “The entire Familia should be proud to see SHPE with a seat at this table. It’s an indication of how far we’ve come in achieving Rod Garcia’s vision from 1974.”

The delegation from SHPE includes Hispanic students and young professionals who are pursuing a degree and career in various STEM disciplines, who are best able to recommend the most impactful types of support to help them complete their degree and feel like they belong in an industry that traditionally lacks Hispanic representation. Also joining the discussion are members of SHPE’s Academic and Industry Partnership Council members who are best able to highlight the value of building a diverse workforce in both private and public sectors.

SHPE representatives include:

Mariana Acuña Delgado

SHPE, Government Relations Senior Associate

Giana Aguilar-Valencia

DePaul University, Student

Miguel Alemañy

SHPE, Interim CEO

Angela Asfura

St. Mary’s University, Mechanical Engineering Student

Erik Jacob Barbosa

Georgia Institute of Technology, Student

Brendon Bolanos De Morales

The University of Texas at Arlington, Student

Christian Buenrostro

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Mechanical Engineer/ Project Manager

Victor Cervantes

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Associate Director MEP

Adrian Dávila

Virginia Tech, Ph.D. student in Materials Science and Engineering

Kimberly Douglas 

SHPE, Chief Research & Innovation Officer

Axel Flores-Roman

IBM, Cloud Platform Partner Technical Specialist

Maira Garcia

Honeywell, Senior Advanced Systems Engineer/SHPE Program Manager

Juan Antonio Garcia

So Cal Carriers, Truck Driver

Luisa Imelda Garcia

Stay at home mom

Anthony Jacob Garcia

Los Altos HS, Student

Karen Joanna Garcia

Sparks Middle School, Student

Andrea Carolina Godoy

University of Miami, Student

Benjamin Gonzalez Vazquez

Bechtel Corporation, Pipe Stress Engineer

Julio Grapa

Procter & Gamble, Director Global Business Services

Raymond Guerrero

Ramapo College of New Jersey, Student

Kelvin Guzman-Baez

Rutgers University – New Brunswick, Student

Daniel Haros 

Arizona State University, Master’s student/Energy Efficiency Specialist

Brenda Henriquez

George Mason University, Computer Science Graduate Student

Christopher Hernandez

UC San Francisco, Professor

Valeria Hernández Echegaray

University of Southern California, Student

Ashleigh Herrera

Tufts University, PhD Candidate

Monique Herrera

SHPE, Chief External Relations Officer

Robert Keynton

University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Dean, William States Lee College of Engineering

Yareni P. Lara-Rodríguez

University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, Doctoral Student

Xaymara Lasheras-Muniz

University of Puerto Rico – Ponce, Student         

Andrea Lastra

Microsoft, Technical Support Engineer

Taylor B. Leonard

New Jersey Institute of Technology/Medtronic, Student/Business Process Analyst

Jorge Arturo Levario-Delagarza

University of Texas at Arlington/SpaceX, Starship Launch Engineering Intern

Andrea Lopez

The Boeing Company, Propulsion Engineer

Efren Lopez

University of Florida, Student

Dayna Martínez

SHPE, Research & Innovation Director

Rhonda McNeill

SHPE, Chief Administration Officer

Thelma Mendoza

University of Portland, Student

Juan Ocampo

St. Mary’s University, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering/Assistant Chair of Engineering

Ashley Orta

East Los Angeles College, Student

Lenin Paulino

United States Patent and Trademark Office, Patent Examiner

Miguel Payan

University of Oklahoma, McNair Scholar

Lance Pérez

University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Dean and Heins Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Ala Qubbaj

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Dean

Nora Rincon

General Motors, Program Quality Manager

Carlos Rivera-Camacho

University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez, Student

Lesly Rojas Caloca

Oregon State University, Electrical and Computer Engineering Undergraduate

Guillermo Rullan

University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez, Student

Giovanna Salazar

SHPE, Social Media Manager

Francis Samalot

The Boeing Company, Research Engineer

Jose Tabarez

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Student

Nicolas A. Tempestini

SHPE, Board of Directors Member

Salena Torres

AccentCare, Inc., Transformation Program Director

Vicente Treviño

University of Colorado Boulder / Colorado Mesa University, Student

Emily Anne Vargas

University of Southern California/Oak Ridge National Laboratory, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow

Idalis Villanueva

University of Florida, Associate Professor and Associate Chair for Research and Graduate Studies

Gerardo Zuniga

Medtronic, Sr Quality Systems Director

“Thank you to the entire SHPE Familia, staff, supporters, and partners for their dedication to SHPE that got us here and made this possible,” says Senior Associate of Government Relations at SHPE Mariana Acuna Delgado. “It’s only because of the achievements of SHPE members past and present who have proven the value of diversity in STEM that I was able to make this event happen. And thank you to the Office of Public Engagement at the White House for their ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and for welcoming SHPE to DC.”

Check us out on social media on April 18 when we’ll be live tweeting from the White House! And stay tuned to SHPE Nation for pictures and updates from the event.

About SHPE
SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) is a nonprofit organization serving and advancing Hispanics in STEM. With more than 13,000 student and professional members, SHPE’s mission is to change lives by empowering the Hispanic community to realize its fullest potential and to impact the world through STEM awareness, access, support, and development. For more information, please visit https://www.shpe.org/

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SHPE Makes Commitments to Support the Department of Education STEM Education Initiative

It has been 10 years since the U.S. Department of Education gathered in a conference setting with stakeholders from around the country to discuss advancing STEM education equity in America. On Wednesday, December 7, the Department of Education hosted the newly launched “YOU Belong in STEM” initiative’s National Coordinating Conference in Washington, D.C. This initiative is designed to strengthen STEM education nationwide and it’s part of a set of key initiatives from the Biden-Harris Administration focused on ensuring that all students from PreK to higher education have access to high quality STEM learning while cultivating a sense of belonging to promote a student’s success. The “YOU Belong in STEM” initiative unites government, nonprofits, professional organizations, industries, philanthropies, and other community stakeholders and calls upon them to make bold commitments towards breaking down long-standing barriers that prevent students from pursuing a career in STEM while encouraging them to explore and follow their passions in all STEM disciplines.

At the conference, SHPE was joined by government leaders like U.S. Senator and former astronaut Mark Kelly from Arizona, Assistant Secretary for U.S. Health and Human Services Rachel Levine, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, and U.S. Department of Education Deputy Secretary Cindy Marten. Their loud support for creating pathways for greater access opportunities, early STEM education awareness, and culturally diverse approaches perfectly align with SHPE’s mission of making generational impacts by changing lives of Hispanic students and professionals throughout their STEM education journey. Prior to this conference, SHPE was part of preliminary conversations about the importance of belonging in STEM and was asked by the Department of Education to take part in the initiative’s commitments towards ensuring that all students from PreK to higher education can excel in rigorous, relevant, and joyful STEM learning. Out of 90 commitments submitted by the time of the conference, SHPE submitted three commitments and was one of six organizations selected to publicly share them. We are so proud to have set the following goals:

• The Virtual STEM Lab program will engage and inspire over 7,500 Hispanic youth to pursue STEM degrees and careers in 2023. Virtual STEM Lab events are structured to be culturally relevant by having participants interact with Hispanic STEM role models who guide them through STEM hands-on activities.  Familia is a core SHPE value and permeates everything we do at SHPE, contributing to belongingness. The program is structured to achieve three core objectives: 1) increase STEM awareness, 2) increasing STEM self-efficacy, and 3) increase STEM identity. Registration information captures participant data that will be used in the short term to speak to geographic footprint and in the long-term to determine if they eventually enter college and pursue and complete a STEM degree. 

• The Equipando Padres (Equipping Parents) program will serve over 750 parents in 2023. This program gives parents of 1^st-generation-to-college and low socio-economic status students the tools and knowledge necessary to better support their children earning engineering degrees. Equipando Padres events and resources are structured to be culturally relevant by having participants interact with Hispanic STEM role models who share their stories, and by having all resources and experiences be delivered in both English and Spanish. Familia is a core SHPE value and permeates everything we do at SHPE, contributing to belongingness. Registration information captures participant data that will be used in the short term to speak to geographic footprint and in the long-term to determine if their student entered college and pursued and completed a STEM degree. 

• The ScholarSHPE program improves representation and increases persistence of Hispanics in STEM careers by providing financial support. The ScholarSHPE program will serve over 325 students with over $1.8M of financial support in the 2022-23 academic year by lowering the financial burden of higher education and showing them that the STEM industry and their SHPE Familia are invested in their future. Recipients range from high school seniors to support their first year of college through doctoral level students. Application information captures participant data that will be used in the short term to speak to geographic footprint and in the long-term to determine persistence and completion of a STEM degree. 

We don’t take these promises lightly and are very grateful to this initiative for including us in this nationwide effort by sharing this platform with us to bring the unique voice of the Hispanic community in this important conversation. SHPE looks forward to achieving these goals and to the continued partnership with the U.S. Department of Education to bring equitable and powerful solutions for Hispanics in STEM.

For more information about this initiative, please visit the YOU Belong in STEM page HERE.

We would love to hear from you and your story! Share how SHPE empowers you to be a leading voice in STEM. Please tag @SHPENational (Instagram, Facebook) or @SHPE (Twitter and LinkedIn) and use the following hashtags: #SHPEFamilia #YOUBelongInSTEM.

(City of Industry, CA) – With nearly 50 years of experience in diversifying and strengthening the STEM field, SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) applauds Congress for enacting the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 on a broad bipartisan basis. This bill is an unprecedented investment to our nation’s workforce in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and will undoubtedly bolster U.S. global competitiveness in innovation by providing the tools to break STEM barriers.

We are thrilled the CHIPS and Science Act dedicates crucial funding for the National Science Foundation to strengthen and grow a highly skilled innovation workforce by broadening access to STEM education and diversifying the STEM field over the next five years. Some have projected that the legislation could help add 90,000 workers in these fields by 2025.

With $81 billion in new funding authorizations for the National Science Foundation over five years, the bill will:

• PreK-12 STEM education: Identify STEM education barriers; support research and development to improve informal STEM education; and establish a ten-year National STEM Teacher Corps pilot program to attract and retain highly skilled teachers and thus increase student participation and achievements.
• Undergraduate STEM education: Support research and development to better align STEM education and training with workforce needs; updates the Advanced Technological Education program to establish a network of centers for science and technical education, and supports research and development to improve STEM education at community colleges; awards effective research and development practices in community colleges for STEM education, hands-on training and research experiences, and career and technical education in STEM fields; establishes a pilot program to develop and scale up successful models for providing students with hands-on course-based research experiences.
• Graduate STEM education: Expand requirement for funding proposals to include a mentoring plan for graduate students; supports facilitating career exploration opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers; creates a requirement for funding proposals to include individual development plans and provides supplemental funding for facilitating professional development for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers; updates the Graduate Research Fellowship Program to increase the number of new graduate fellows supported annually, address workforce demand, increase the cost of education allowance, and recruit a more diverse pool of applicants; requires an evaluation of mechanisms for supporting graduate student education and training; requires a report on the need and feasibility of a program to recruit and train the next generation of artificial intelligence professionals and authorizes NSF to establish a Federal AI scholarship-for-service program, which would run in addition to existing programs such as CyberCorps Scholarship-for-Service.
• Rural STEM education: Authorizes the National Science Foundation to support online STEM education and mentoring research; innovative approaches in STEM teaching that improve student participation and advancement, including through a pilot program of regional rural cohorts that provide peer support, mentoring, and hands-on research experiences for rural STEM educators. Directs the NSF Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering (CEOSE) to report to Congress an assessment of NSF activities that support participation of rural students in STEM studies.

We are grateful for the strong support and big investments from Congress to further access to STEM education and diversify the STEM workforce. We celebrate this big win and look forward to becoming a resource and partner for Federal leaders during its implementation process.

ABOUT SHPE
SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) is a nonprofit organization serving and advancing Hispanics in STEM. With more than 13,000 student and professional members, SHPE’s mission is to change lives by empowering the Hispanic community to realize its fullest potential and to impact the world through STEM awareness, access, support, and development. To accomplish this, SHPE provides a variety of programming, services, resources, and events, including hosting the largest Hispanic STEM convention in the nation. For more information, visit http://shpe.org.

Contact:
Mariana Acuña Delgado
[email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 18, 2022

UNITED STATES SENATE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVES RESOLUTION SUPPORTING LATINOS IN STEM

SHPE Collaborated with Senators Alex Padilla and John Cornyn and Representatives Tony Cárdenas and Maria Salazar, Emphasizing the Potential of Latinos in STEM and the Current Disparity in Graduation Rates and Career Success

(City of Industry, CA) — SHPE applauds the United States Senate for unanimously approving Senate Resolution 640, which expresses “support to increase the number of Latino students and young professionals entering careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.” The bipartisan resolution was sponsored by Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and co-sponsored by Senator John Cornyn (R-TX). The House of Representatives has a companion Resolution (H.Res. 1105) pending its consideration that was introduced by Representatives Tony Cárdenas (D-CA) and María Elvira Salazar (R-FL).

The resolution states that the Senate—

1. supports the goal of increasing the number of Latino individuals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (in this resolution referred to as ‘‘STEM’’) as a way to promote economic empowerment and sustainability, not only in their community but in the overall economy of the United States;
2. supports increasing the representation of Latino individuals in STEM fields to enhance and improve representation and improve performance in the STEM workforce, which will help—
   1. develop talented and capable STEM workers;
   2. reduce the dependence of the economy of the United States on foreign workers; and
   3. secure the future of the United States as a leader in STEM;
3. encourages increased Federal support for initiatives aimed at boosting the number of Latino students who pursue STEM education and career paths, particularly engineering; and
4. recognizes the important role that Hispanic Serving Institutions and all colleges and universities must play in order to achieve this goal of increasing Latino individuals in STEM.

“SHPE is incredibly grateful to Senators Padilla and Cornyn, for their leadership and for considering our ideas as they worked to secure Senate passage of this important resolution. Their commitment to the success of Hispanics in STEM will move our nation forward and improve the lives of all Americans,” said SHPE CEO Chris Wilkie. “Coupled with the pending House Resolution introduced by our champions, Reps. Cardenas and Salazar, official statements, like this one, made at the federal level, will not only drive competition and innovation in the STEM industry, but will also have a positive effect on this important demographic for generations to come.”

“Our collective prosperity depends on expanding opportunities for all students – from every background – to study and succeed in the critical science, technology, engineering and math fields,” said James Brown, Executive Director of the STEM Education Coalition. “We applaud Senators Padilla and Cornyn for getting the Senate to make a clear, bipartisan statement about the importance of increasing the number of Latinos in STEM fields. We share the belief that Congress must step up and deliver on this important national imperative.”

Working with Congressional champions on the introduction and passage of a Congressional resolution is a part of an overall strategy SHPE began in late 2021 to ensure that it is actively involved at the federal level. “In the last few years, it has become more and more apparent that we need to be in the rooms where decisions are made.” Wilkie explains.

“The immediate recognition of the need for this Resolution by its sponsors and the fact that the U.S. Senate adopted it unanimously goes to show how critical the need is for Hispanics in STEM.” states Wilkie. “I can’t wait until the incredible gifts, brilliant minds, and innovative solutions of the Hispanic community are known, sought-after, and appreciated around the country. This is truly something we can ALL get behind.”

About SHPE

SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) is a nonprofit organization serving and advancing Hispanics in STEM. With more than 13,000 student and professional members, SHPE’s mission is to change lives by empowering the Hispanic community to realize its fullest potential and to impact the world through STEM awareness, access, support, and development. For more information, please visit https://www.shpe.org/

CEO Chris Wilkie is available for interviews.

Contact: Jen Linck
[email protected]
703-732-6701

Congress is formally adopting a bipartisan effort to diversify the STEM industry and encourage more Latinos to pursue a career in science and technology.

Jesus Ojeda earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Aerospace Engineering in 2019 and a Master’s in Science Degree in Aerospace Engineering in 2020, both from the University of Southern California (USC).

“I think we all had the dream of becoming an astronaut and secondly, growing up in a small town in México we were close to the airport so I would see the airplanes land and take off,” said Ojeda about his motivation to pursue an engineering career.

Ojeda’s hard work led to several internships, including one with NASA. He currently works as a senior systems engineer at Raytheon in Goleta.

Ojeda said it was not an easy journey.

“Where was the dean’s office? Where was the financial office? So mainly not knowing anything, and not having anyone in my family that could guide me through the process,” explained Ojeda.

It’s a reality California’s first Latino senator, Alex Padilla, also faced while studying mechanical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

“Latinos tend to come from schools that maybe aren’t sufficiently funded. I remember being, once upon a time, being an English learner and trying to overcome some language, not just math, barriers to be able to compete in college,” said Senator Padilla.

The U.S. Senate approved a bipartisan resolution to support Latinos pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

“How are we encouraging more young Latinos to pursue STEM education as you go from high school to college and of course, more Latino students to complete a STEM education and enter STEM fields working as engineers and scientists in so many areas,” added Senator Padilla. “This resolution is the first step of putting Congress on record that this is a formal goal and objective.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2020, Hispanics were 18% of the nation’s workforce. However, a Pew Research Center study in 2021 found that Latinos only make up 8% of STEM jobs.

“Breaking through that first generation and opening that pathway empowers that whole family but in addition to that it also provides a whole other quality of life,” said Sonia Martinez, the assistant vice-president for advancement and marketing for the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU).

Pew Research Center found that the average annual salary for non-STEM jobs in 2019 was $46,900 whereas STEM jobs paid around $77,400.

Of course, some STEM jobs pay much more. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, computer and information systems managers can make more than $150,000.

The resolution is looking to push colleges and universities to do more.

“We are great advocates of having our students do research, even as undergraduates, working with a faculty member so they can get excited and see the application of all this math and science that they are studying,” said Martinez.

Beyond academic retention, it is relying on professional organizations founded and run by Latinos.

“Something that really helped me overcome these challenges was being part of organizations such as MESA and SHPE, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers,” added Ojeda.

SHPE has a program to better inform Latino parents about STEM careers, and they also have grants for those interested in hosting events to inspire young Latinos.

Every year, they organize a national conference to better connect students with companies and schools.

“We were able to give out over $1 million in scholarships this past fiscal year which was the largest amount for us in one year, so we are excited to beat that next year,” highlighted Monique Herrera, the chief external relations officer for SHPE. “We also bring together 300 companies, universities that are looking to promote opportunities for graduate school, as well as internships, fellowships, co-ops and full-time job offers.”

Senator Padilla and Ojeda both agreed that having mentors along the way was key to their success.

“That godfather, padrino [godfather], tío [uncle] in a friendship, mentor form that is going to be there guiding them and pulling them up as they are able to excel in their career,” said Herrera.

Ojeda said he was able to pay it forward with his own sister and plans to inspire other Latinos.

“The best way to encourage kids, first-generation students, all these Latinos to come into STEM is mainly by us professionals going out and spreading the word, letting people in our situation know that it is possible and guide them through the process,” said Ojeda.

While no specific funding has been allocated just yet, Senator Padilla said having this commitment at the federal level can lead to more K-12 and college programs as well as partnerships in the private sector.

For more information on programs by HACU, click here.

To learn more about SHPE and the resources the organization offers, click here.

We are so grateful to these members of Congress for taking the time to record video messages for our members attending the 2021 SHPE National Convention! Each of them voices their support of SHPE and of Hispanics in STEM, as well as, offering their advice to our audience of young, aspiring leaders in STEM.

SHPE is excited to be working closely with members of Congress to advance our mission of changing lives by empowering the Hispanic community to realize its fullest potential and to impact the world through STEM awareness, access, support, and development.